Song of the Samurai Episode 1-2 Review
Director: Watanabe Kazutaka
Date Created: 2026-05-18 22:34
3.5
Song of the Samurai Episode 1-2 Review: Adapted from the manga Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem by Umemura Shinya, ちるらん 新撰組鎮魂歌 ～京都決戦篇～is directed by Watanabe Kazutaka and stars Yamada Yuki as Hijikata Toshizo, Suzuki Nobuyuki as Kondo Isami, Nakamura Aoi as Yamanami Keisuke, Hosoda Kanata as Okita Soji, Uesugi Shuhei as Nagakura Shinpachi, Fujiwara Kisetsu as Saito Hajime and others. Streamed now on HBO, the historical Japanese drama explores the Bakumatsu period and traces the emergence of the Shinsengumi, which would later become one of the most dreaded factions in the country. As it opens, the drama balances brotherhood, politics, and bloody sword battles, gradually developing Toshizo into the legendary warrior of history.
Song of the Samurai Episode 1 Recap
Episode 1 of Song of the Samurai starts in 1912 when a young girl by the name of Ichikawa Makoto approaches a grown-up Nagakura Shinpachi after rescuing him from a bunch of intoxicated ruffians. Intrigued by the history of Hijikata Toshizo and her relationship with him, she pleads for Nagakura to reveal the truth about the renowned samurai. The plot shifts back to 1859 when a hot-headed and arrogant Toshizo moves from one dojo to another, trying to find a man who can defeat him.
Toshizo finally finds his way to the impoverished Shiekan dojo headed by Kondo Isami. Although poor and insignificant, the dojo has talented swordsmen with peculiar characters. He immediately gets into conflict with the dojo members and eventually challenges their leader, Kondo. Despite Toshizo’s unexpected techniques, Kondo easily anticipates his every move and defeats him. Rather than insulting Toshizo, Kondo realises his enthusiasm for swordsmanship and offers him to join their dojo.
As Japan faces turmoil following the murder of Naosuke, the dojo students have dreams of rising above their station and joining the ranks of instructors at the Edo Kobusho military academy. With Japan preparing for potential war due to the arrival of foreign ships, skilled swordsmen are all of a sudden highly valued. In order to enhance his reputation, Toshizo seeks to test himself against the notorious Crossroads Slasher, Okado Izo. The fight ends in a draw, yet the two men share a bizarre bond, since they both abhor unnecessary bloodshed even though they live in brutal times.
However, things begin to get grim when Saito Hajime is imprisoned for the murder of Ryunosuke, the frail son of an esteemed instructor. Even though many fear challenging powerful samurai clans, Toshizo refuses to desert Hajime. Flashbacks show that the reason why Hajime killed Ryunosuke was that he wanted to fulfil his last request of dying in a respectable duel before falling victim to illness. Despite knowing the true story, the authorities still condemn Hajime, leaving the dojo as a result of the others’ support.
In the last scene of the episode, three years have passed, and the Shiekan dojo has joined the Roshigumi in Kyoto in an attempt to earn some money and reputation. Nevertheless, it does not take long before the members realise that there are political rivalries within the gang, and they meet Serizawa Kamo, a frightening person who is very violent and impresses Toshizo greatly. A vicious battle erupts between Kamo and Okita Soji, ending up with Soji being seriously wounded. The Song of the Samurai episode 1 ends with the suggestion that the old friends, such as Izo, are now on a much tougher road.
Song of the Samurai Episode 2 Recap
In episode 2 of Song of the Samurai, the narration of Nagakura continues as he tells us about the formation of Shinsengumi in 1863. Kyoto is now in turmoil as highly skilled assassins seek out supporters of the shogunate government. Toshizo and other members are asked to join Roshigumi in Aizu together with Serizawa Kamo and his deadly companions. However, before joining them, Toshizo and his men must prove their skills in battle against the famous Sagawa Kanbei.
Toshizo immediately volunteers to face Sagawa Kanbei, even though there is fear that this might end up being a duel until death. It comes as a surprise that Toshizo succeeds in forcing Sagawa to defend himself, leading to the dojo’s official acceptance into the ranks of Roshigumi. In addition, political foes begin attacking them from the shadows. An imperialist group led by Kusaka sends hunters such as Tanaka Shinbei and Okado Izo after shogunate supporters.
As Toshizo escorts Kondo, he is suddenly faced with an attack from Shinbei, whose prowess almost defeats him. Meanwhile, Izo attacks Kamo, showing the extent to which he has strayed away from the swordsman that Toshizo knew and respected. It is not long before suspicion arises among the members of the Roshigumi, as it is evident that there was a leak concerning their movement. Both Niimi and Yamanami begin to suspect Toshizo based on his past friendship with Izo, causing him immense pain despite all that he has done for the Roshigumi.
Things take a turn for the worse when Hajime returns to tell them who the real traitor is, Abiru Eisaburo. Seeking revenge for his brother’s murder, Eisaburo had been secretly leaking information to Kusaka, hoping to find the murderer. However, Eisaburo walked straight into a trap laid by Niimi, who was using both parties. Niimi mortally wounds Eisaburo before escaping, leaving Hajime heartbroken. The dojo subsequently reads Eisaburo’s letter, where he expresses regret at betraying his family.
As tensions increase in Kyoto, Toshizo engages in a showdown with Shinbei. In their fight, Shinbei expresses his anger towards society because he is always ridiculed due to his low origins. Toshizo sympathises with him because he, too, was born in poor surroundings. It seems that Toshizo and Shinbei are not fighting each other, but rather that they are both victims of the violent times they live in. At the end of Song of the Samurai Episode 2, Toshizo kills Shinbei, who recognises him as an equal, before dying.
Song of the Samurai Episode 1-2 Review
From the first two episodes of Japanese drama Song of the Samurai, it is obvious that they don’t make attempts at creating any romantic version of the samurai era. Rather than portraying them as immortal legends, the series shows flawed young men who attempt to make it through one of the most tumultuous periods of Japanese history. It was especially interesting for me to see how easily the plot managed to combine personal issues with historical events. No matter how much attention was paid to political intrigues and changing alliances, the heart of the action still remained the dojo and its inhabitants.
It was Yamada Yuki who delivered an excellent performance in the role of Hijikata Toshizo. Initially, he appears to be very irresponsible, immature and emotionally immature, but this only makes his development process much more interesting to observe. His stubbornness constantly causes trouble to those around him, but his loyalty is what makes them follow him. Moreover, the chemistry between Toshizo and Kondo Isami is one of the best things about this drama because it seems to be based on mutual trust.
The action scenes are an additional feature that should be noted. The sword fighting in the series has a lot of energy since the movements do not seem too refined or theatrical. Every battle looks dangerous and challenging, especially the ones including Kamo, Shinbei, and Izo. However, at the same time, the drama manages to convey the psychological impact that violence has on the main characters. For example, it can be noticed in Hajime, who had to leave the dojo, or in Eisaburo’s betrayal.
What impressed me the most about the plot development in the first two episodes of the Song of the Samurai was its emotional depth. The family feeling among the members of the dojo adds warmth to the series; therefore, every betrayal or character’s death is felt more acutely. Even minor characters get enough attention and depth. Moreover, I enjoyed the way the show presented the conflict of honour and survival without putting either side of the argument in the role of villains.
Song of the Samurai Review: Summing Up
Overall, Song of the Samurai: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto has left me curious about how the characters will develop into the feared Shinsengumi we have come to know in history. Although the pacing may be hurried at times due to the jump cuts through time, the good acting, well-shot action scenes and good drama ensure that the show remains engaging all the way. With Toshizo taking on a more active role in the politics of Kyoto, the show is off to an interesting start.
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